Braiding machine



June 29, E937. N. E. RICHARDS 2,085,334

BRAIDING MACHINE Filed Jan. 22, 1935 5 Sheecs-Sheferl l June 29, 1937.N. E. RICHARDS '2,085,334

BRAIDING MACHINE Filed Jan. 22, 1935 5 Sheets-$heet 2 June 219, 1937. N.E. RICHARDS BRAIDING MACHINE 'Filed Jan. 22, 1935 5 sheets-sheet 5 g Y Wj 1% Z 17 155 9" 15g 177i@ l i as? 175 57 ,j/iv- 5 5 .5 g-jz'l; 1D l ULSz, 5 LA" 5 I J L E- 7 165 y 151 170k 162 160 1M 159 a X752 i@ INI/ENTOR:

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z 165 jj 16% 170 166 159 BY Q jj 1195 y/ 160 y ATTORNEY Fume 29, 1937.N; E. RICHARDS 2,085,334

BRAIDING MACHINE Filed Jan. 22, 1935 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Y ipa INVENToR:

llormanfhards,

BY C/f 4 f y@ W,

TORNE `June 29, 1937. N. E. RICHARDS BRAIDING MACHINE Filed Jan. 22,1935 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented June 29, i937 STATES PATENT @FFCEBRAIDING MACHINE Application January 22, 1935, Serial No. 2,855

14 Claims.

This invention relates to a braiding machine for producing a flatselvedged-edge strip of textile fabric, substantially rectangular incrosssection and suitable when completed for use as a brake lining or inthe fabrication of brake linings and/or correspondingly and similarlyused and fabricated articles. It relates more particularly to a noveland useful means for making an article which in its ultimate form wouldbe subl0 jected to a rubbing or frictional action on at least one of itsflat faces, which friction would cause a wearing away of the exposedsurface of the strip.

In order to increase the Wearing resistance of such a strip of brakelining to a maximum and in order to simultaneously make .a strip havingmaximum frictional gripping qualities at all times during its usefullife, the present invention contemplates the provision of a simple yethighly emcient machine which is adapted to lay the variouswear-resisting threads of which the strip is composed in a predeterminedorder and pattern-weave with respect to each other and to arrange thesethreads and intertwist them in such a manner as to cause the frictionalrubbing action to take place in a direction transverse to thewear-resisting threads, i. e., across the ends of the fibers of theinterbraided threads of the strip, to the greatest possible extent.

In order to produce a strip having a firm body with a minimum degree oflongitudinal extensibility and at the same time to accentuate thepresentation of the ber ends to the wearing 5 action of the drum orother member against which it frictionally rubs, the machine is adaptedto insert longitudinally extending core threads within the strip duringthe interbraiding of the wear-resisting threads. The interbraiding ofthe wear-resisting threads may thus take place about or around thesecore threads and thus the core threads become rmly bound into the bodyof the strip.

One object of my invention is to produce a novel machine adapted tobraid strands or threads of any desirable cross-section or qualitywhereby a friction or brake lining of any thickness may be made in asingle braiding operation.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a machine capable ofmaking a braided fabric in which the interbraided threads are completelyinterlocked and intergripped within the fabric, thereby producing anarticle far superior to, and more cheaply and easily made than anysimilar article heretofore manufactured.

A further object of this invention is to provide a machine for producingan article that is integrally interbraided and does not embody theobjectionable features of super-positioned layers of fabric. 5

With these and other objects in view, which will become apparent fromthe following detailed description of an illustrative and practicalembodiment of my invention, shown in the accompanying drawings, theinvention comprises the 10 novel elements, features of construction andarrangement of parts in cooperative relationship as hereinafter moreparticularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings: l0

Figure l is a face View of a piece of flat fabric strip which is onetype that may be produced on the machine illustratively forming thesubject matter of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a diagrammatic transverse sec- 20 tional View of the striptaken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Figure 3 diagrammatically illustrates the braiding path or coursetraversed by one of the series of threads of which the strip shown in 2DFigs. 1 and 2 is composed;

Figure 4 is a View similar to Fig. 3 but showing the braiding coursefollowed by a second series of threads while travelling through the bodyof the strip shown in Figs. l and 2;

Figure 5 is a View showing the courses of Figs. 3 and 4 combined,wherein the intersecting relation of the two courses with respect toeach other is clearly illustrated;

Figure 6 is an end elevation of one embodiment of a machine constructedin accordance with the principles of the present invention;

Figure 7 is a top plan view slightly reduced however, and taken on theline 1--1 of Fig. 6; 0

Figure 8 is a front elevational View of the machine illustrated in Fig.6, partially diagrammatic, with the superstructure of the machine shownin section;

Figure 9 is a diagrammatic top plan view of the thread carriersupporting race-plate of the machine;

Figure 10 is a sectional plan view taken on the line lll-I0, Fig. 6, andshows, clearly, the driving means for the thread carriers and the means50 for determining their movements over the carrier-supportingrace-plate shown in Fig. 9; and

Fig. 1l is a sectional view taken substantially along the line Il-I I,Fig. 6.

In all of the drawings corresponding numbers 55 indicate the same orsimilar structures and where repeated, the same has been done in orderto more clearly indicate the inter-relation and association of therespective parts.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the strip S comprises a braiding series Aconsisting of individual Wearresisting threads a1 to a13 inclusive and asecond braiding series B consisting of individual Wear-resisting threadsb1 to Z913 inclusive. The threads of the series B are interbraided withthe threads of the series A, this interbraiding of the series A and Btakes place around a` series C of longitudinally extending core threadsdisposed in a central plane substantially parallel to the cpposite facesS1 and S2 of the strip S and consistn ing of individual threads c1 toc'z inclusive; an outer series C1 disposed in a plane intermediate thatof the series C and the plane of the face S1 of the strip and consistingof individual core threads C11 to C12 inclusive; and a second outerseries C2v disposed in a plane intermediate the plane of the series Cand the plane of the face S2 of the strip and consisting of individualcore threads c21 to c28 inclusive.

As diagrammatically illustrated in Fig. 3, the series of Wear-resistingthreads A follows an undulated course transversely of the strip S Whichtakes the form of the letter W, the first arm A1 of which starts at onecorner of the strip on the face S1 thereof and extends obliquely and atan angle to the plane of face S1 of the strip, and through the interiorof theistrip to the second face S2 thereof, then passes into a secondarm A2 extendingiobliquely and at an angle to the second face S2 and tothe arm A1 and traverses from the second face S2 of the strip to thefirst face S1, then goes into a third arm A3 extending in a directionsubstantially parallel to the direction of the first arm A1, the arm A3extends the course from the rst face S1 to the second face S2 of thestrip and finally, a fourth arm A1 extends in a direction substantiallyparallel to the direction of the second arm A2 of the course A and goesfrom the second face S2 of the strip to the first face S1 thereof,terminating at a corner of the strip in the same plane as that in whichthe first arm of the course began, e. g., on the same face S1 of thestrip as the beginning of the arm A1.

The second thread series B diagrammatically illustrated in Figs. 4 and5, follows a course substantially the same as that of the course A butin inverted and intersecting relationship thereto. The course of theseries B is inverted with respect to the course of the series A andtakes the form of the letter M, wherein, the rst arm B1 of the secondseries B intersects the rst arm A1 of the first series A; the second armB2 of the course of the series B intersects the second arm A2 of thecourse of the first series A; the third arm B3 of the course of thesecond series B intersects the third arm A3 of the course of the firstseries A; and the fourth arm B1 of the course of the second series Bintersects the fourth arm A4 of the course of the first series A, theterminals of the arms B1 and B4 being in the same plane e. g., face S2of the strip S and directly opposite, respectively, to the terminals ofthe arms A1 and A4 of the course of the series A.

As shown in Fig. 2 the core threads of the central series C and those ofthe outer series C1 and C2 are longitudinally disposed and are separatedfrom each other by the traversing courses of the series A and B, i. e.the intersecting of the tWo series of threads A and B takes placebetween adjacently disposed core threads.

The machine comprises a main horizontal bedplate I, Figs. 6 to l0,supported by a series of latu erally spaced transversely extending pairsof legs 2, 2, said bed-plate being substantially rectangular in form.

Spaced above and disposed substantially parallel to the bed-plate I isthe race-plate 3 of the machine which, like the bed-plate I, issubstantially rectangular in form. The race-plate 3 is supported inspaced relation to the bed-plate I by a series of shouldered bolts l ofrelatively large diameter intermediate the plates I and 3 and havingreduced threaded ends passing through said plates respectively. Securingnuts 5 hold the plates against shoulders S provided by the reduction inthe diameters of the opposite ends respectively of the bolts ll, theshoulders 6 functioning to maintain the plates l and 3 rigidly in spacedrelation' to each other.

As clearly shown in Fig. 9, the race-plate 3 is provided With twointersecting raceWays Ill and 2E? respectively which denne aparallel-sided braiding zone, the raceway Ii! taking the form of theletter W in accordance with the course of the series of threads A, theracevvay 2! taking the form of the letter M in accordance with thecourse followed by the series of threads B.

The rst arm I I of the W-shaped raceway Iii comprises a pair ofsubstantially parallel slots i Ea and I Ib formed in the race-plate 3connected to form one terminal end of the racev/ay iii by asubstantially semicircular slot Hc.

The second arm I2 of the raceway It comprises a pair of substantiallyparallel slots I2a and IZb which are connected to the slots Ila and IIbof the raceway III by arcuate slots IZc and I2@ respectively, the slotI2a of the second arm crossing the slot IIb of the first arm at IIe.

The third arm I3 of the raceway I comprises a pair of substantiallyparallel slots 13a and I3b which are connected to the slots |2a and IZbof the second arm I2 by arcuate slots |30 and i3d respectively, the slotIa of the third arm crossing the slot I2b of the second arm at I2e.

The fourth arm Ill of the raceway lll comprises a pair of substantiallyparallel slots Ia and, Ilb which are respectively connected to the slotsI3a and I3b of the third arm by arcuate slots Ille and Illdrespectively, the slot Ida of the fourth arm crossing the slot i319 ofthe third arm at Ie. The ends of the slots I 4a and Mb of the fourth armI Il are connected by a substantially semi-circular slot Ide forming thesecond terminal end of the raceWay It.

The raceway 2G in a like manner comprises four relatively angularlydisposed arms each consisting of a pair of substantially parallel slotsrespectively extending substantially at right angles to the slots of thecorresponding legs of the raceway lil, the raceway 20 beingsubstantially of the same form` as the raceWay III but in an invertedposition with respect thereto as the letter M is to the letter W.

The first arm 2l of the M-shaped raceway 2Q comprises a pair ofsubstantially parallel slots 2Ia and 2lb connected at the first terminalend of the raceway 2t by a substantially semi-circular slot 2Ic.

The second arm 22 comprises a pair of substantially parallel slots 22aand Eb which are connected to the slots 2 Ia and 2lb of the rst arm 2lby arcuate slots 22o and 22d, with the slot 22a of the second arm 22crossing the slot 2 Ib of the first arm 2| at 2Ie.

The third arm 23 of the raceway 20 comprises a pair of substantiallyparallel slots 23a, and 23h, which are respectively connected to theslots 22a and 22h of the arm 22 by arcuate slots 23C and 23d, with theslot 23a of the arm 23 crossing the slot 22h of the second arm 22 at22e.

The fourth arm 24 of the raceway 20 comprises a pair of substantiallyparallel slots 24a. and 24h which are respectively connected to theslots 23a and 23h of the arm 23 of the raceway 20 by arcuate slots 24oand 24d, the slot 24a, of the fourth arm 24 crossing the slot 23h of thethird arm 23 at 23e.

The terminal ends of the slots 24a and 24h are connected by asubstantially semi-circular slot 24e forming the second terminal end ofthe raceway 20.

Due to the intersecting relation of the various slots constitutingthevarious arms of the two raceways I0 and 20, intervening portions of theraceplate 3 are completely separated from the outer or marginal portionsof the race-plate and from each other, forming what are commonlyreferred to as tellers or quoits which in Fig. 9 are indicated at 25.

The tellers 25, 25 are individually supported from the underlyingbed-plate I by studs 26, 26, Fig. 10, respectively. In the presentinstance the studs 2E are of a tubular form and are rigidly connected attheir upper ends to the tellers 25, 25 and at their lower ends to thebed-plate I, whereby the tellers are maintained in rigidly xed laterallyspaced relation to each other and to the marginal portions of therace-plate 3 to form and maintain the continuity of the slotsconstituting the intersecting raceways I0 and 29 respectively.

Arranged to travel over the upper face of the race-plate 3 along theraceways I0 and 20 respectively are two independent series of thread orbobbin carriers 30, 30, Fig. 6,l there being provided one carrier foreach of the threads a1 to a13 inclusive in the series A thereof and onecarrier for each of the threads b1 to D13 inclusive in the series of Bthereof.

The bobbin carriers for this specific machine may be of any of thewell-known type familiar to those versed in the related art. However, inthis particular case, the carriers are provided with a pair of spacedplates 3| and 35, Fig. 6, which are connected by an elongated fm orheart piece 33 of well known and suitable construction, see Fig. 11. Then 33 extends through and rides in the raceway slots I0, 20, Fig. 9,formed or cut in the race-plate 3. Each bobbin carrier at its lowerextremity is provided with a lug or stud 31 which is adapted to beengaged by and travel with a horn-shaped pair of projections IOI carriedby the gears |00.

The usual upright arms 45, 45a, Fig. 6, the spindle-shaft or axle 53,and the bobbin or spool of thread 50 having lateral flanges 5|, togetherwith its attendant thread tensioner '||f, and thread gui-de 48 are alsoshown. The thread is led upwards, as shown to the braiding point X, Fig.6.

The braiding movements of the carriers 30 for effecting interbraiding ofthe series of threads A with the series of threads B are effectedthrough mechanism shown particularly in Fig. 10.

Rotatably mounted on each of those of the teller or quoit-supportingstuds 26 which correspond in position to the outer series of corethreads C1, C2, intermediate the base plate I and the race-plate 3, isan ordinary horn bearing gear or horn-gear |00. Those horn-gears whichare located at the terminal ends of the race- Ways I0 and 20 areprovided with four horns, illustrated at IOI, while those intermediatethe terminals of said race-ways are provided with but three horns each.

Each horn gear intermeshes with each of its immediately adjacentneighbors and the horns on the several gears are so arranged that a hornon one gear is brought into alignment with a horn on the next gear atpredetermined times during the rotation of the several gears at uniformperipheral speed.

The horns |0| engage the studs 3'! of the carriers 30 and as the severalgears are rotated in unison the carriers are moved over the surface ofthe race-plate 3 and are guided by the tongues or fins 33 running in theslots constituting the race- Ways I0 and 20 respectively. The slotsguide the carriers through the above noted intersecting courses of thethreads indicated as series A and B to effect intertwining andinterbraiding of the two series of threads in the manner above noted.These slots also function to guide the stud 3l of each carrier out ofthe horn of one gear into the horn of the next gear when the horns arealigned one with the other in the manner above noted.

The train of horn gears is driven at the opposite ends thereof byhorizontally disposed pinions |02 and |03, Fig. 10, respectively. Thesepinions are secured or journalled on vertically disposed shafts |04 and|05 respectively, the lower ends of which are mounted in bearings |06,Fig. 8, carried by brackets |0'| and |08 respectively secured to theunder side of the base plate I adjacent the opposite ends thereof.

'Ihe upper ends of the shafts |04 and |05 have bearing in the base plateI and extend above said base plate a sufficient distance to permit ofthe pinions |02 and |03 being secured thereto in the plane of the teethof the horn gears |00.

Adjacent the lower bearing |06 in each instance the shafts |04 and |05are provided with beveled gears |09. The beveled gears |09 intermeshrespectively with beveled gears |0 which are Secured to -a main driveshaft |II.

The main drive shaft I is horizontally disposed beneath the base plateand rotatably supported in the bearings |06 of the brackets |0`| and |08and in a bearing |I2 carried by an intermediate bracket I I3 which, likethe brackets |0'| and |08, is secured to the underside of the base plateI.

The main shaft II I is provided with tight and loose pulleys Il@ and |I5respectively, about which is adapted to pass a drive belt I I5, the beltrunning between the forks or arms I|'| and IIB of a be1t-shiftingmechanism, whereby the belt may be shifted from the tight to the loosepulley, and vice versa.

The belt-shifting arms and IIB are secured to a horizontally disposedshift rod II9 which is slidably mounted in bearings |20 secured to theunderside of the base plate I. Rotation of the shift rod II9 isprevented by an arm I2! secured to the said shift rod and provided witha bearing |22 which is in turn secured to a second rod |23. The rod |23is disposed parallel to the rod I I9 and is slidably mounted in bearings|24, |24 secured to the underside of the base plate I.

rhe shift rod ||9 is at all times urged to move in a direction to shiftthe belt IIB from the tight pulley ||4 on to the loose pulley ||5 by aspring |25, Fig. 10, one end of which is secured'to a fixed part of themachine while the other end is secured to a collar |26 fixed on theshift rod H6.

Normally, the movement of the rod H9 in the direction above noted isprevented by a latch lever |21 forming part of the stop motion of themachine, said latch lever having a notch |28 into which extends a lug|29 which is carried by the shifter lever |36.

The shifter lever |36 is pivotally mounted at |3| to the underside ofthe base plate and is provided at its one end with a pin |32 which isengaged by and between the parallel forked ends of a lug |33 whichprojects laterally from -a collar |34 secured to the shift rod |9.

The latch lever |21 is secured to the lower end of a vertically disposedshaft |35 fixed to the base plate and the race-way guide plate 3,respectively.

At predetermined points along the intertwining straight serpentinerace-ways I6 and 26 are provided -a series of trip arms |35, Fig. 9,-each of which is secured to the upper end of a trip shaft |31, Fig. 10,said trip shafts being vertically disposed and having bearing in theparallel plates and 3.

To each of the trip shafts |31 is secured a lever |38. The several triplevers |38 are connected by rods |39 to levers Mil secured to the maintrip shaft |35 and on which the latch lever |21 is secured. The latchlever |21 is held in its operative or shift retaining position by spring|4 and each of the trip shoes or levers |36 is likewise held in itsinoperative position by the same spring |4| having one end secured to alever |460: on the trip shaft |35 and its opposite end secured to afixed part of the machine.

Means may be provided on the bobbin carrier such that when the threadbreaks or becomes unusually slack, the lever 11, Fig. 6, used fortensioning the thread may operate a tripping device which in turnactuates the stop mechanism by causing a tripping device to fall in theplane of the several trip shoes |36. Consequently as the carrier onwhich the lowered drop or tripping device is mounted is moved along thecourse of either the series of threads A or B, as the case may be, thenone of the drop levers or tripping devices would engage one of the tripshoes |36, thereby effecting a rocking of the shoe and a correspondingrocking of the main trip shaft |35 whereby the latch lever |21 would bemoved to a position releasing the shifter lever |30, whereupon thespring |25 would slide the trip rod ||9 longitudinally to effectmovement of the belt ||6 from the tight pulley ||l| to the loose pulley||5, causing the machine to stop.

During the interbraiding movements-'of the several carriers in themanner above noted, the core threads of the series' C, Cl and C2 are fedupwardly into the field of movement or braiding point of the binder orwear-resisting threads as the interbraiding operation takes place. Forthis purpose each of the hollow-teller-supporting f studs 26 is providedwith an extension |145, Fig. 6,

which projects above the race-plate 3 to a plane substantially levelwith or above the plane of the eyes 68 of the several carriers 36.

The core threads preferably pass from any suitable source of supplylocated at the rear of the machine and passing under the base plate and-around suitable guides |46, Fig. 8, from which the threads pass to thelower ends of the hollow teller-supporting tubes 26, passing throughthem andthe vertical extensions |65, uninterruptedly.

The guide tubes |65 for the core threads C11 and c1s of the series C1,and c21 and C28 of the series C2 are preferably provided with guideneedles |48, around which the carriers 36, of the A braiding seriestravel on the S1 face, and the B series travel on the S2 face of thefabric, the needles keeping the fabric stretched to a width conformingwith the size of the former |51 in a manner well known`in the art.

From the upper ends of the guide tubes and 'from the upper ends of theeyes i8 the core threads and binder threads respectively converge towardthe braiding point :l: of the machine. The braiding point is locatedsome distance above the .plane of the race-plate 3 as clearlyillustrated in Figs. 6 and 8. The braiding point is normally determinedby the position of a forming mechanism or a former |41 and the take-upmechanism of the machine with respect to the longitudinal andtransversely extending center lines of the intertwining race-ways i6 and26. In the present instance the braiding point is disposed somewhat tothe rear of the longitudinal center line of the combined race-ways andon the transverse center line thereof. The former |41 is supportedbetween a pair of horizontally disposed transversely extending parallelrods |56, Fig. 6.

The rods |56 are supported by vertically depending rods |5| which havetheir upper ends secured in a frame |52. The frame |52 in turn issupported by depending rods |53, the upper ends of which are mounted ona transversely extending'bar |54. The opposite ends of the bar |52vare'xed in bearings |55 and |56 respectively which are formed at theupper ends of suitable standards or brackets |51 and |58 respectively.The brackets |51 and |58 are mounted on and secured to the race-plate 3.

The frame |52, see Fig. '1, is of a substantiallyrectangular'construction composed of end mem-- bers |55, |59 and sidemembers |66, |66. Disposed in the open center of the frame |52 is aseries of take-up and/or take-olf rolls |6|, |62 and |63 which aresecured to horizontally disposed shafts |6l|, |65 and |66 respectively.

The shaft |64 is rotatably mounted in fixed bearings formed in the sidemembers |66 of the frame |52 While the shafts |65' and |66 are rotatablymounted in bearings |61 and |68, Fig. 6, which are slidably mounted inslots |69 formed in the side members of the frame |52.

Secured to each of the shafts |56, and |66 is a pair of gears |16 whichintermesh one with the other and effect a relative rotation of thetake-up rolls |6|, |62 and |53.

Secured to the shaft |64 in the present instance is a sprocket wheel |1|about which passes a sprocket chain |12. The sprocket chain |12, Fig. 6,also passes around a sprocket wheel |13 which is secured to a shaft |14rotatably mounted in the back standard |58. Also secured to the shaft|14 is a gear |15,Fig. 8, which meshes with a corresponding' gear |16secured to a shaft |11. The shaft |11 is rotatably mounted in the backstandard |58'in parallel relation to the shaft |14, Fig. 6, and isprovided with a Worm wheel |18. Meshing with the worm wheel |18 is aworm |19, said worm being secured to the upper end of a verticallydisposed shaft |35. The shaft |86 is rotatably mounted in bearings 8|,|8| carried by the back standard |58, the lower end of said shaft havingbearing in the base plate and race-plate 3 respectively.

Intermediate said plates the shaft |80 has Cal secured thereto a gear|82 which meshes with a gear |83, Fig. 10, which is rotatably mounted ona xed stud |84. The gear |83 meshes with one of the horn gears |60 fromwhich and through the chain of mechanism just described the take-uprolls |6| and |62 receive rotation at a denite peripheral speed to takeup the braided strip S at a uniform rate of speed from the braidingpoint of the machine, said strip passing into the bite formed by andbetween the rolls |6| and |62 and passing over the top oi the roll |62to the bite formed by and between the rolls |62 and |63, the compressionof the fabric by the said rolls being governed by bite-adjusting screws|85, Fig. 6, carried by the take-up frame |52 and extending into thebearing slots |65 thereof, said screws bearing against the outer ends ofthe tongues |86 projecting from or bearing against the slide bearings|63 which support the shaft |66 with the take-off roll |63.

From the take-off roll |63 the finished strip S passes into the upperend of a chute |81 .projecting forwardly and downwardly to the frontcentral portion of the machine. 'I'hen the finished fabric is guidedinto a receptacle, together with its integrally twisted binder and corethreads which were interbraided by the relative movements of thecarriers 36 over the surface of the race-plate 3.

Of course, the improvements specically shown and described, by which Iobtain the above results, can be changed and modified in various wayswithout departing from the invention herein disclosed and hereinafterclaimed.

I claim:

l. In a braiding machine, a carrier supporting race-plate including apair of raceways arranged to dene a parallel-sided braiding zone and aseries of carriers for traversing said raceways, a plurality of drivegears for said carriers, each raceway comprising a plurality of pairs ofcontiguous substantially parallel slots extending in straight linesbetween opposite sides of said zone and interconnected at the `ends ofthe Zone to form a continuous raceway, the slots of each pair beingspaced apart a distance substantially equal to the diameter of one ofsaid drive gears.

2. In a braiding machine, a carrier supporting race-plate including apair of raceways arranged to denne a parallel-sided braiding Zone and aseries of carriers for traversing said raceways, a plurality of drivegears for said carriers, each raceway comprising a plurality of pairs ofcontiguous substantially parallel slots extending in straight linesbetween opposite sides of said zone and interconnected at the ends ofthe zone to form a continuous raceway, the spacing between parallelpairs of slots of different raceways being substantially the same as thespacing between parallel slots of the same raceway and beingsubstantially equal to the diameter of one of said drive gears.

3. In a braiding machine provided with a raceplate including a pair ofsinuously disposed raceways arranged to define a parallel-sided braidingzone and a series of carriers for traversing said raceways, each racewaycomprising a pair of substantially parallel slots interconnected attheir ends to form a continuous raceway, a plurality of lines of drivegears for said carriers individual lines of which are positionedadjacent each side of said braiding zone, the gears of one lineintermeshing with the gears of a second line and the gears of each lineintermeshing with each other,

said slots of each pair being spaced apart a distance substantiallyequal to the diameter of one of said horn gears.

4. In a braiding machine, a race-plate provided with two independentraceways arranged to dene a parallel-sided braiding zone and a series ofcarriers for traversing said raceways, a plurality of drive gears forsaid carriers, each raceway including a plurality of straight armportions alternately arranged in oppositely inclined angular relation toeach other, each arm comprising only two straight and substantiallyparallel contiguous slots extending between opposite sides of saidbraiding zone and spaced apart a distance substantially equal to thediameter of one of said drive gears, one of the raceways being arrangedin reversed relation to the other of said raceways and with thecorresponding arms of the two raceways crossing each other.

5. A carrier supporting race-plate for a braiding machine having aplurality of substantially straight guide slots for the carriersarranged to deiine a parallel-sided braiding zone and a series ofcarriers for traversing said slots, a plurality of drive gears for saidcarriers, said slots being sinuously disposed in substantially parallelpairs eX- tending and arranged between opposite sides of said braidingzone to effect a straight line movement only of the carriers crosswiseof the braiding zone and comprising a rst set of contiguous pairedslots, a second set of contiguous paired slots substantiallyperpendicular to and intersecting said rst set, said slots of each pairbeing spaced apart a distance substantially equal to the diameter of oneof said drive gears, the pairs of each set being operativelyinterconnected for guiding a carrier only within their respective Set,whereby two independent, yet intersecting raceways are formed.

6. A carrier supporting race-plate for a braiding machine having aplurality of substantially straight guide slots for the carriersarranged to dene a parallel-sided braiding Zone and a series of carriersfor traversing said slots, a plurality of drive gears for said carriers,said slots being sinuously disposed in substantially parallel pairs eX-tending and arranged between opposite sides of said braiding zone toeiect a straight line movement only of the carriers crosswise of thebraiding zone and comprising a rst set of contiguous paired slots, asecond set of contiguous paired slots substantially perpendicular to andintersecting said first set, said slots of each pair being spaced aparta distance substantially equal to the diameter of one of said drivegears, the pairs of each set being operatively interconnected forguiding a carrier only within their respective set,

.whereby two individual intersecting raceways are formed, saidrace-plate having openings for the passage of core threads within one orboth of said raceways.

'7. A carrier supporting race-plate for a braiding machine having aplurality of substantially straight guide slots for the carriersarranged to dene a parallel-sided braiding zone, said slots beingsinuously disposed in substantially parallel pairs extending betweenopposite sides of said braiding zone, and comprising a rst set ofcontiguous paired slots, a second set of contiguous paired slotssubstantially perpendicular to and intersecting said rst set, the pairsof each set being operatively interconnected for guiding a carrierwithin the set, a fin on the carriers for .guiding the same in the slotsof one set, a lug on each carrier below the fin thereon, gears disposedbelow the race-plate, said gears having horns for engaging the lugs, thelugs being adapted to slide radially along the horns as the carrierscourse the straight portions of their respectively :associated guideslot set.

8. A carrier supporting race-plate for a braiding machine having aplurality of substantially straight guide slots for the carriersarranged to dene a parallel-sided braiding zone, said slots beingsinuously disposed in substantially parallel pairs extending betweenopposite sides of said braiding Zone, and comprising a rst set ofcontiguous paired slots, a second set of contiguous paired slotssubstantially perpendicular to and intersecting said first set, thepairs of each set being operatively interconnected for guiding a carrierwithin the set, a fin on the carriers for guiding the same in the slotsof one set, lug on each carrier below the iin thereon, gears disposedbelow the race-plate, said gears having horns for engaging the lugs, thelugs being adapted to slide radially 4along the horns as the carrierscourse the straight portions of their respectively associated guide slotset, and being adapted to remain at a fixed radial distance along saidslots during -a portion of the course interconnecting the pairs of eachset.

9. A carrier supporting race-plate for a braiding machine having aplurality of substantially straight guide slots for the carriersarranged `to dene a parallel-sided braiding Zone, said slots beingsinuously disposed in substantially parallel pairs extending betweenAopposite sides of said braiding zone, and comprising a iirst set ofcontiguous paired slots, a second set of contiguous paired slotssubstantially perpendiculal` to and intersecting said lirst set, themore remote pairs of each set being operatively interconnected forguidi-ng `a carrier lat their extreme ends by substantiallysemi-circular slots and at their intervening ends being connectedsequentially to the remaining pairs of their respective set by segmentalarcuate slots.

10. A carrier supporting race-plate for a braiding machine having aplurality of substantially straight guide slots for the carriersarranged to dene a parallel-sided braiding Zone, said slots beingsinuously disposed in substantially parallel pairs extending betweenopposite sides of said braiding zone, and comprising a rst set ofcontiguous paired slots, a second set of contiguous paired slotssubstantially perpendicular to and intersecting said iirst set, thepairs of each set being operatively interconnected for 'guiding acarrier within the set, a iin on the carriers for guiding the same inthe slots of one set, a lug on each carrier below the n thereon, gearsdisposed below the race-plate, said gears having horns for engaging thelugs, the lug on each carrier being adapted to engage every one of thehorned gears for a portion of the latters rotation during each completecourse of the carrier over its respectively assigned raceway.

11. A braiding machine comprising a raceplate provided with twoindependent raceways arranged to dene a parallel-sided braiding zone anda series of carriers for traversing said raceways, a plurality of drivegears for said carriers, each raceway including a plurality of straight-arm portions alternately arranged in oppositely inclined angularrelation to each other with one oi the raceways arranged in reversedrelation to the other vof said raceways and with the corresponding armsof the two raceways crossing each other, each arm comprising twostraight and substantially parallel contiguous slots eX- tending betweenopposite sides. of said braiding zone and spaced apart a distancesubstantially equal to the diameter of one of said drive gears, eachraceway comprising a pair of substantially parallel paths providingtwo-way ltraiTic throughout the course of each raceway, said paths ofeach raceway being connected by reverse turns at the terminal endsthereof, and the corresponding paths of each arm of each raceway beingconnected by arcuate sections disposed outside the intersections of thearms of the two raceways for maintaining continuity of the respectiveraceways.

l2. A braiding machine comprising a race-plate provided with twoindependent raceways each including a plurality of straight arm portionsalternately arranged in oppositely inclined angular relation to eachother with one of the raceways arranged in reversed relation to theother of said raceways and with the corresponding arms of the tworaceways crossing each other, each raceway comprising a pair ofsubstantially parallel paths providing two-way traffic throughout thecourse of each raceway, said paths of each raceway being connected byreverse turns at the terminal ends thereof, the corresponding paths ofeach arm of each raceway being connected by arcuate sections disposedoutside the intersections of the arms of the two raceways formaintaining continuity of the respective raceways, and one path in eacharm of each raceway crossing the opposite path of the adjacent armthereof intermediate the arcuate sections and said intersections, thesepaths comprising slots formed in ways arranged in reversed relation tothe other of said raceways and with the corresponding arms of the tworaceways crossing each other, each raceway comprising a pair ofsubstantially parallel paths providing two-way traffic throughout thecourse of each raceway, said paths of each raceway being connected byreverse turns at the terminal ends thereof, the corresponding paths ofeach arm of each raceway being connected by arcuate sections disposedoutside the intersections of the arms of the two raceways formaintaining continuity of the respective raceways, and one path in eacharm of each raceway crossing the opposite path of the adjacent armthereof intermediate the arcuate sections and said intersections, thesepaths comprising slots formed in the race-plate and separating thoseportions of the plate disposed within the areas of the intersectingraceways and between the intersections thereof from each other and fromthe marginal portions of the race-plate, a base-plate parallel to andspaced from the race-plate, studs rigidly securing said separated partsrespectively of the race-plate to said base-plate to maintain alignmentof the paths of the raceways, a series of thread carriers operating ineach raceway, and means rotatably mounted on predetermined ones of saidstuds intermediate the base-plate and the race-plate for moving theseries of carriers along the raceways respectively to eiectinterbraiding of threads respectively .carried by the carriers, thestuds being of tubular form and extending from the underside of the baseplate for feeding additional threads therethrough and between thethreads carried by the carriers during the interbraiding.

14. A braiding machine comprising a race-plate provided with twoindependent allochiral raceways each defining a plurality of straightarm portions alternately arranged in oppositely inclined angularrelation to each other and with the corresponding arms of the tworaceways crossing each other, each raceway comprising a pair ofsubstantially parallel paths providing for two-way travel throughout thecourse of each raceway, said paths of each raceway being connected byreverse turns at the terminal ends thereof, the corresponding paths ofeach arm of each raceway being connected by arcuate sections disposedoutside the intersections or" the arms of the two raceways formaintaining continuity of the respective raceways, and one path in eacharm of each raceway crossing the opposite path of the adjacent armthereof intermediate the arcuate sections and said intersections, thesepaths comprising slots formed in the race-plate and separating thoseportions of the plate disposed within the areas of the intersectingraceways and between the intersections thereof from each other and fromthe marginal portions of the race-p1ate, a base-plate parallel to andspaced from the race-plate, and studs rigidly securing the separatedparts respectively of the race-plate to the base-plate to maintaincontinuity of the raceways.

NORMAN E. RICHARDS.

